Dear Boomer,
I read an article in an important magazine about a hunter who wanted his dog to “handle” pheasants. It seems this person wanted the dog to know everything about the bird. The dog was supposed to know which way the bird was running, whether the bird was sitting tight or had just sat in a place then moved on and when a running bird made a sharp turn and was sitting tight. The title of the article was “Point or Creep?”
You are an experienced pheasant hunting dog. What is your opinion on dog handling?
Signed,
Puzzled in Montgomery County
Dear Puzz,
Dogs have a saying, “One dog is a better hunter than a dozen humans.” We also say, “A bad day hunting is usually caused by a human.” You’ve never seen a dog lose their temper and shock a human have you?
A smart human will form a strong bond with their dog and train the dog to hold point, back, and retrieve. The dog will then show the human what the bird is doing if the human will pay attention and learn.
Contrary to some human beliefs, dogs are not able to “hypnotize” a bird into staying still. Pointing dogs do naturally freeze (point) when bird scent becomes strong enough. A smart human will encourage their dog to point with praise and stroking from the time the dog is young. A young dog must learn to stay still until their human tells them to “go on.”
Any pheasant dog will tell you that pheasants (and quail) run from the dogs and hunters. Sometimes the birds “sit tight” and hope you’ll walk by them.
Allow your dog to “run” the hunt. They will not “bump” the birds unless their basic training is weak. Establish with your dog that when you call, they have to come. Use that habit to keep your dog within gun range.
My canine compadres report that skilled human hunters take years to develop. So remember, Puzz, “If the dog you trust, the more birds you will bust.”